Billionaire’s Outburst Signals Rift with President, Bolsters GOP Critics

In a dramatic escalation of tensions, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk publicly denounced President Donald Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill” on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, labeling it a “disgusting abomination” that threatens to bankrupt America. The scathing criticism, posted on Musk’s social media platform X, marks a significant fracture in his once-close alliance with Trump, coming just days after Musk stepped down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk wrote on X. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong.” The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who spent over $250 million supporting Trump’s 2024 campaign, further warned that the bill would “massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion” and burden Americans with “crushingly unsustainable debt.”

The legislation, narrowly passed by the House in late May, is a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda, combining tax cuts, increased defense spending, and enhanced immigration enforcement. However, it has drawn fire for raising the debt ceiling by $4 trillion and increasing the federal deficit by an estimated $3.8 trillion over a decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Musk, who led DOGE with a mission to slash $1 trillion in federal spending, argued that the bill undermines his cost-cutting efforts, which included layoffs and agency restructuring.

Musk’s outburst has emboldened fiscal conservative Republicans, including Senators Rand Paul and Ron Johnson, who echoed his concerns about the bill’s cost. “I agree with Elon,” Paul posted on X, calling the debt increase “a huge mistake.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, defended the bill, suggesting Musk’s criticism may stem from its rollback of electric vehicle tax credits, which could impact Tesla. “With all due respect, my friend Elon is terribly wrong,” Johnson said, expressing regret over Musk’s stance after a 20-minute call with him on Monday.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Musk’s remarks, stating, “The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn’t change the president’s opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill, and he’s sticking to it.” Despite the administration’s resolve, Musk’s influence as a major Trump donor and his platform on X could complicate the bill’s passage in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim 53-seat majority and can afford only three defections.

Musk’s criticism, which included a call for voters to “fire all politicians who betrayed the American people” in 2026 elections, has sparked a firestorm on X, with sentiments ranging from support for his fiscal stance to accusations of hypocrisy given his campaign contributions. As the Senate debates revisions with a July 4 deadline looming, Musk’s intervention has thrown a wrench into Trump’s legislative push, highlighting deep divisions within the Republican Party over fiscal priorities.